Israeli & Palestinian youth discover freedom & hope in Vatican dialogue, building bridges amid conflict through Scholas Occurrentes program.
Newsroom (07/11/2025, Gaudium Press ) In a poignant gathering at the Vatican, Israeli and Palestinian youth shed layers of fear and pretense, forging unlikely bonds through open dialogue and shared humanity during the second “Meaning Meets Us” encounter.
Shadan Khatib, a Palestinian Arab living in Israel, described the four-day event as transformative. “In Rome, I felt I could truly be myself. I didn’t have to pretend, or hide what I think,” she said. Organized by Scholas Occurrentes from November 2 to 5, 2025, the program brought together 50 students from Israel, Palestine, and the United States for workshops, games, reflection, and prayer.
Born from the Middle Meets initiative, the encounter aims to convert distrust into friendship and fear into hope for youth raised amid ongoing conflict. It builds on a February edition, offering a rare space for unfiltered expression.
Khatib, navigating a “double identity” in Israel, highlighted barriers at universities and workplaces where free speech on the conflict is stifled. “It is difficult for both sides—Palestinian Arabs and Jewish Israelis—because there is no real dialogue,” she noted. In Rome, however, “we are all equal. Here, everyone can speak freely. I felt free, unafraid, my true self.”
A highlight for her was a intimate conversation with Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue. Khatib urged peers: “Speak your minds without fear… We must dare to be ourselves,” citing tools like artificial intelligence to build a different future.
Yehonatan Grill, a Tel Aviv university student, echoed the sentiment after two years of war. “This gathering was a chance to breathe, to talk about what we feel, and to begin imagining a different future,” he said. “Behind all the hatred… there are people who enjoy going out, laughing, playing football.”
Grill lamented silenced campuses in Israel, where debate is rare. The program provided respectful argument and affection, culminating in a meeting with Pope Leo XIV on November 5 after his General Audience. Grill informed the pontiff of bridge-building among Jews, Muslims, and Christians. “He told me that we must all work for peace… That smile became a sign of hope,” Grill recalled.
Scholas Occurrentes global director José María del Corral noted a somber tone compared to February, with participants initially discouraged. Activities revived their “inner child” through games, art, and silence. “Many live with a double personality… But here, they could be themselves,” he said. Some had fought in the war or lost family; their exchanges were raw and real.
Pope Leo XIV encouraged sharing the experience, affirming peace rises “from below” by youth. “Young people are not the future—they are the present,” del Corral said, quoting predecessors.
As participants departed amid tears and laughter, they committed to sustained dialogue. “Artificial intelligence may predict the future, but you can create it,” del Corral told them.
The encounter underscores youth-driven peace in a region scarred by division, proving human connection can transcend entrenched fears.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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